


We Are The Kids

by icanliftacar



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Hospital AU, Suicide Attempt, lots of forest references, more tags added later when i develop this more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-14 19:38:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3423173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icanliftacar/pseuds/icanliftacar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It really wasn't a big deal, really. </p>
<p>Tyler didn't want his life to turn into a whole production. If he was honest, he knew it would end up like this. He just never thought he would be around to see it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This Is Not What I Had Planned

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I have been lurking on this site for a long time and decided it was time to register and post something! This is something that I am currently developing, so chapters will be posted as they come to me. This means that warnings may change. I will warn that this story can be quite dark, so please don't read if you are easily triggered. (While I don't think anything I've written so far could be triggering, you never know.) I'm very nervous about posting this, so any comments/suggestions/criticism/kudos would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

It really wasn't a big deal, really. 

Tyler didn't want his life to turn into a whole production. If he was honest, he knew it would end up like this. He just never thought he would be around to see it. 

It all started with a flame. Flames growing from all sides, cornering the teen by the door of the treehouse. In the last few moments, he realized that going up in flames wasn't romantic. Dying, pain, none of it was what he thought it would be. "This is not what I had planned," he breathed out in a moment of panic. "This is not what I had planned." He said a few moments later. Pushing the door open, the only thing he remembered was hitting the ground.

\--

Tyler woke up in the evening of the night after he set the treehouse in flames. It had been almost twenty four hours since he jumped, but the pain was still there. This wasn't a paper cut or a scratch. His bones ached, his chest was sore, it hurt to breathe. Pushing his eyes open, he wasn't familiar with the setting. It took him a moment to realize this wasn't his room, no, it was a hospital. Shifting his eyes, the first person he saw was his mom.

"Tyler?" the middle-aged woman asked as soon as she saw his eyes open. "Tyler, can you hear me? Are you okay?" She asked. 

Tyler nodded, if only a little. 

Moving closer carefully, Tyler's mom scooted her chair near her son's head, running her fingers carefully through his hair, just as she had done when he was a child. "Why?" She asked softly, a tone of sadness threaded through her voice.

"This is not what I had planned." He croaked out softly, voice weak.

His mother stood up and left the room quickly, face hidden in her elbow. Tyler could hear her sobs through the door.

\--

Tyler Joseph was administered to Crestview Mental Rehabilitation Center two days after he was discharged from the hospital. 

The fall had given Tyler a nasty burn on his left arm, a fractured arm and a few broken ribs. They brought in specialists to talk to Tyler, to decide his fate. After what seemed like forever of deliberation, they decided that it would be best for him to go to a rehab center for the mentally unwell. His mother choked on the words. His father's gaze was focused on anything but him. 

The ride from his home to the center was silent. He sat in the back, his suitcase next to him. He was recommended for staying for four weeks and his parents were willing to do whatever it took. 

Arriving at his new temporary home wasn't what he expected. There weren't any hunchback doctors or satanic nurses (to his knowledge). All he saw was friendly people with smiles and happy voices. The sign-in process was easy and before he knew it he was saying goodbye to his parents. They could visit once a week, but Tyler knew it would be hard without them. He hugged both his mom and his dad as tight as he could before they left, leaving their son in the last place he wanted to be. The hospital felt like himself; The exterior was beautiful and happy, while the interior was filled with sadness and stories. He knew that the people in here weren't normal. He wasn't normal. 

\--

What took him aback the most was the fact that he was assigned a roommate. He had assumed everyone would be alone, but that's not how things were run at Crestview. His roommate was relatively new to the center, too. The only information Tyler was allowed to know about who he would be sharing a room with was his name. Joshua Dun. The name had been floating through his mind ever since he heard it. He wondered what Joshua Dun was like. How old was he? What does he look like? Why is he here?

When Tyler was let into the room, a boy with purple hair was sat on one of the beds, facing towards the window. 

"Joshua, we have your new roommate!" The nurse said in a voice that sounded like cough syrup. It was trying so hard to be sweet, but you could feel the bitter through your body. 

When the purple-haired boy turned around, Tyler's eyes instantly fell from his sweet face to his neck. His neck was scarred. A long, dark line went across most of it. Tyler wanted to gasp, wanted to cover his mouth, but he knew all too well that scars from the past weren't just external. He didn't want to open up a wound inside his new roommate. 

"Well hi there! I'm Josh." The boy said, standing and walking over to Tyler. The brown-haired boy started to move his hand in for a handshake, but was instantly pulled into a huge hug by Josh. Ending with a bit of a squeeze, Josh pulled away, the fluorescent lights making his eyes beam. 

"Tyler. I'm Tyler." He mustered, smiling a bit as he looked at the other. Josh's eyes crinkled at the edges and his whole face smiled with him. It felt like Tyler was walking into a stranger's home, realizing it was where he had been all along. 

"Well Tyler, I think we'll turn out to be great friends." The purple-haired boy said, face still scrunched into a smile.

Tyler thinks he read somewhere that the people with the biggest smiles are the saddest of them all.


	2. Ode to Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What scared him the most, he thought, was that a lot of people probably speculated why he was there. Tyler tried not to assume why others were there, but some people were obvious. 
> 
> Josh, however, Tyler just couldn't figure out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! This is kind of a filler chapter that I wanted to post that will lead into more interaction of Tyler and Josh in the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy this, I'm trying to pace myself with writing it and letting things develop, rather than jumping right in.
> 
> Chapter title courtesy of twenty | one | pilots.

Tyler had decided in the half an hour he spent outside he room that he didn't like it at Crestview. While it was only his first day, he was uncomfortable seeing so many other kids, anywhere from thirteen to nineteen, in the building with him. It was weird to him to know that everyone had a story behind why they were there. What scared him the most, he thought, was that a lot of people probably speculated why he was there. Tyler tried not to assume why others were there, but some people were obvious. 

Josh, however, Tyler just couldn't figure out.

The scar across his neck was a long purple line that Tyler snuck glances at only when he was sure that Josh wasn't paying attention. He didn't want to come off as rude, even though he would bet that Josh had a lot of people glancing his neck. 

Josh acted like any happy, healthy teenage boy. Tyler learned that he was captain of the soccer team at his old school, even. So it just perplexed him why someone would Josh would leave such an ugly attempt of leaving this world (but he could only assume that Josh's wounds were self inflicted).

It wasn't like in a movie how when you first arrive, everyone asks you why you're there. There was a certain air in the building that told you that other people were dealing with themselves and a lot didn't care. However, the few that were concerned were the people who knew not to ask until you became comfortable. Josh and Tyler only talked about themselves, what they liked, simple things. Things that don't give away parts of you that you wanted to keep locked up.

\--

It was the third night when it happened. 

The day was like any other day, really. Tyler only left his room to get food and occasionally to go to the TV room and watch whatever was on with a few of the other patients there. Otherwise, he stayed in his room and read, or wrote (thank god he had injured his left arm), or just stared out the window and longed to be back home. This day was no different until it reached night time. 

It was around 11:15 when Tyler decided to finally roll over and fall asleep. He had never been one to fall asleep easily, so he forced himself to shut his eyes and breathe in a slow pattern, which usually helped him fall asleep. But apparently Josh didn't know he was still wake, because soon after Tyler started breathing slowly, he heard a few soft noises from the other bed.

At first he couldn't tell what was happening, but then he realized that Josh was crying. It was really the first time Josh showed any vulnerability, and Tyler felt like he was invading on something very private. He didn't know how to get out of the situation, because he couldn't fall asleep hearing the other's sobs. Something about Josh just sounded.. broken. Each noise sounded hollow and hurting, and it hurt Tyler to know that the other boy that was all smiles was hurting this bad. 

It took a lot of courage, but Tyler finally opened his eyes. The lights were out, but the moonlight from the window allowed him to see the shaking outline of his roommates body. Josh and Tyler weren't very close, they both keep to themselves, spoke a few times here and there, but overall were just acquaintances. 

He knew it was a bad idea and he knew he might regret it later, but Tyler decided to get up. Instantly, Josh tried to stifle his sobs when he knew the other was awake. Walking quietly over to Josh's bed, Tyler moved to sit on the edge of it carefully and moved his good hand to Josh's back, rubbing it slowly as the other boy let himself sob again. Tyler didn't want to be overbearing and do anything that crossed any lines, so he sat and rubbed the other's back, pressing his palm in gently and letting it run over his spine. Josh seemed to need the comfort, and Tyler knew that he would want the same if he was ever in the position that his roommate was in.

"You'll be okay.." Tyler whispered after Josh had fallen asleep, wearing himself out from crying as Tyler say and kept him company the whole time. Getting up carefully and quietly, Tyler went back to his bed and crawled in under the covers, yawning and closing his eyes. 

It was easier to sleep that night when Tyler knew that Josh would be okay, even if only while he was in overtaken by sleep.


	3. Lets Burn It Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sometimes the hardest shells are the ones with the most damaged insides."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I am going to try and update this about once/twice a week! I don't really have a set day/time, but I'm going to try and update it somewhat regularly. Your comments mean so much to me and make me smile constantly. Thank you for supporting me and I hope you guys like this chapter! 
> 
> Chapter title is courtesy of New Politics!

The next day, was, well, as awkward as one would expect.

It started with Josh not even looking at Tyler. From there on out, Tyler saw the happy boy he once knew cave into himself with self consciousness. He was still sure what he had done the night before was the right thing to do, but he worried that Josh might try to isolate himself now that someone saw past his bright exterior. 

It was dinner time when finally things changed.

Usually Tyler ate by himself in the cafeteria type room. He saw some groups of friends talking with each other at other tables, but he wasn't sure enough of himself to be able to get to the point where he could talk to anyone like that. So he sat alone most days. Except today. Today was different because after Tyler sat down with his baked potato, Joshua Dun sat down right across from him.

Sliding into the chair across from Tyler, Josh acted as though it was normal for them to sit together. Tyler knew Josh had friends that he liked to eat with, and his behavior throughout the day hadn't shown any signs of him actually wanting to be around Tyler. After a few moments of silence, the purple-haired boy spoke up. 

"Thank you, for.. for last night.." He muttered softly, his bottom lip caught between his front teeth in a nervous manner.

Tyler wasn't sure how to respond, really. It wasn't the kind of thing that you shook off with a kind of, 'oh, no problem bro.' No, this was someone who was sent to a mental health facility. He knew he had to constantly be careful with his words, the way he acted, and everything about himself.

"You don't have to suffer alone, okay? And I know that we haven't really become best fiends in the past few days or something, but I care about you. I don't want to see you looking so sad anymore. I don't want to hear you crying like that. it just.. you don't deserve that. I'm always going to be here for you, okay? No matter what you feel, I'm here." Tyler said, carefully calculating what he said and how he said it. He wanted to comfort the boy, not baby him.

There was a silence between the two for a few moments. Tyler let his eyes gaze down at his plate of food, sighing softly and picking up his fork to play with gently between his fingers.

"I'm here for you too, okay?" Josh started, pausing for a second before the next statement, "Sometimes the hardest shells are the ones with the most damaged insides." He said before standing up, looking at Tyler, and leaving to go eat with his friends. Tyler was more confused than anything. He didn't know what to make of what the other said. He didn't know who it was directed towards, either. Sighing once again, he dug his fork into the potato in front of him and began to eat. 

\--

Going to bed was calmer than it was the night before. It was almost as if all the pent up emotion in the room was creating a tension that they couldn't feel until it was broken. When the lights went out and the moon lit the room, Tyler felt relaxed in falling asleep.

\--

Fire. Fire was everywhere. The waves of heat coming from the force made you sweat all over, made you shake in fear of what was coming. 

There was no way out. The burn was crawling from your toes to up your legs. You could feel your skin melt, you could feel yourself dry out. Next, the fire was to your stomach. Your legs give out and you are engulfed in the flames. The last thing you remember is the burning, the burning, the bur-

"Tyler, Tyler, wake up." Josh whispered as Tyler tossed and turned in his bed. The older boy became concerned when he heard whimpering from Tyler's bed, deciding that now was as good as ever to show the other that he really did care. 

When the younger of the two woke up, it was all at once. He sat straight up, his eyes wide open as his breathing was quickened. He still could feel an itch of burning on the skin of his arms and legs. It all was just a dream, but it felt too real. It felt too real.

"Hey, hey, take deep breaths, I'm here." Josh instructed, rubbing Tyler's back slowly as the brown haired boy relaxed his breathing a little, his body starting to act normal again. "I promise you're okay," said Josh, continuing in running his fingers up and down the other's back. 

Tyler finally calmed down enough to whisper a soft 'thank you' to Josh. He didn't need to explain what happened, he knew that his roommate knew exactly what happened. 

"Do you want me to.. to like, stay here with you? in case it happens again?" Josh asked quietly, nervous of the other's reaction. but since Tyler was in such a vulnerable state, he let himself nod to the other's question, laying back down and making space for Josh.

Once they were both in the bed, they laid there for a good five or ten minutes without movement. both were awake, but too afraid to make any moves. Finally, Tyler moved to lay on his side, facing away from Josh. The other boy did the same, facing Tyler and biting his lip softly. While having an internal debate on whether it would be appropriate to put his arm around his roommate's waist, Tyler reached behind his small body and grabbed Josh's arm, pulling it around his body for him. 

They laid there, Josh's body pressed up against Tyler's, holding him and relaxing. they both didn't sleep for awhile, enjoying the quiet company. Finally, when the sun began rising and the moon no longer lit the room, Tyler fell asleep, Josh not far behind from falling into a deep slumber.


	4. Your Body Is A Symphony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It felt like flowers were blossoming from Tyler's skin in the most beautiful way. Tyler felt happy, and pure, and not his usual self. 
> 
> He briefly wondered if it was Josh, or if it was the mania.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it has literally been almost a year since i updated this but every once in awhile someone comments and says they hope i come back to update and i want to start writing again so here i go! i apologize for length i gotta get back into writing this one but i am really enjoying it so far!!
> 
> chapter title is from panic! at the disco :)))

Waking up in someone else's arms was comforting. It felt like flowers were blossoming from Tyler's skin in the most beautiful way. Tyler felt happy, and pure, and not his usual self. He briefly wondered if it was Josh, or if it was the mania. Maybe it was both.

During his mental health evaluation, Tyler was found to have fast cycles between depressions and manias, going through episodes constantly. The trial and error of finding a new medicine was just beginning for the boy, and he knew that side effects weren't fun.

But he let himself have a moment. Tyler Joseph rarely had moments anymore. Tyler Joseph was bogged down by emotions constantly and never let himself feel free.

So he laid there with Josh, feeling the other's soft breathing on his neck, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. You could make the most beautiful song out of Josh's body. The way his heart would beat, the way his chest would move. 

Josh was a symphony, Tyler decided.

Music was always something that Tyler loved. Ever since he was a little boy, his fingers felt more familiar on a piano than they did on anything else. Words came easily to him, too. His tattered notebook was filled with poems, or just lines that came into Tyler's mind. The music helped drown out the world around him. Everything was like a gunshot, a gunshot, a gunshot. It was too loud, and too harsh. 

Too harsh.

Tyler was snapped out of his thoughts when Josh began to stir, waking up to the blinding sun coming through the blinds. The younger of the two really wasn't sure how to act in this situation, but he just continued relaxing against Josh. He shut his eyes, figuring it was easier to let the other decide how this situation would be handled.

After waking up and recalling the events of the night before, Josh glanced at Tyler before getting up slowly to not wake the boy. Leaving as quietly as possible, Josh went to the cafeteria to get breakfast, leaving a cold, confused, and lonely Tyler.

Josh was a symphony, and Tyler worried that he wouldn't even get a note in the song.


End file.
